Applying Barthes to charity advertising

Understanding Barthes and Charity Advertising

Roland Barthes is a leading figure in semiotics, the study of signs and symbols.
Barthes’ theory can be used to understand how symbolism is used in charity advertising.
In general, charity adverts use visual and verbal signs to create emotive appeals to compel the audience to donate or take action.
Barthes’ approach typically involves two orders of signification:
- The denotative (literal meaning of the sign).
- The connotative (symbolic or cultural meanings that the sign invokes).

Applying Barthes: Denotation in Charity Adverts

Consider a charity advert featuring an image of a sad, impoverished child.
The denotation of this image, according to Barthes, is a child in need.
This literal, factual representation taps into an immediate human response of empathy or concern.

Applying Barthes: Connotation in Charity Adverts

The connotation of the image is where the power of charity advertising becomes apparent.
The impoverished child symbolises hopelessness, suffering and the need for immediate action.
The image also suggests a dichotomy between the audience’s world (abundance and wealth) and the child’s world (poverty and suffering).
Such connotations are designed to instigate an emotional response, prompting the viewer to donate or act.

Use of Text in Charity Adverts

Text in charity adverts typically complements the visual image, driving home the desired emotional response and the call to action.
For example, a phrase like “Every day, this child goes hungry” makes explicit the denoted ‘child in need’.
This text is also loaded with connotations of unfair suffering, injustice, and urgency.
The overall effect compels the audience to reflect on their own circumstances, feel moved by the injustice, and possibly make a donation or take action to help alleviate the situation.

Myth in Charity Adverts

Beyond the denotative and connotative levels, Barthes describes another level of signification: myth.
In charity advertising, myth can refer to a larger social or cultural belief or ideal that the advert taps into.
For example, an advert might suggest the myth of ‘benevolent Western saviour’ - the idea that wealthier people/place/entities have a moral duty to help poorer ones.
By being aware of these underlying myths, we can better understand the strategic symbolic choices advertisers make, and how these choices influence audiences.

Conclusion

Barthes’ semiotics is a key tool for understanding and analysing how charity advertising functions.
Analysing an advertisement’s denotations, connotations and underlying myths helps uncover the intended strategies and effects of a charity advert.